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I pray, asking God to forgive this country & its leaders for Iraq War

Sen. John McCain recently said, "We defeated Iraq." I hope he didn't choke on those words. It's more than mere folly to make a audacious statement when he knew well, as every senator knew, it is a concocted lie.

We overwhelmed a small sovereign country with tremendous military power and left years later exacting the death of over a half million people. It was a non-declared war, illegal and criminal in every aspect. What happened to viable dissent in the face of this catastrophe? No one spoke out forcefully against it. Not the people ( the majority, at least) not the news networks, not the clergy: and it happened because most of us turned our back on it and tacitly approved the killing of men, women and children. It was, and is, a devastating loss of life for a nation still in the throes of civil unrest.

We started in Afghanistan, bombing unknown targets and bribing tribal leaders with suitcases full of money. Our duplicity again demonstrated we were not constrained by any law, our own domestic laws and international laws, firmly established and recognized worldwide. The U.N. was silent as was every nation, cowered by our immense military power and our willingness to use it — anywhere and at any time. This sordid chapter in our checkered history will soon diminish, thank God.

I pray fully asking God to forgive this country and its leaders past and present for this immense tragedy. Whatever the reason, (contrived or real) our criminality is an affront to all that is decent and moral. These wars did not have to happen. This nation was never in any danger — except the danger of a administrative military takeover, enabling and encouraging continued violent through harassment and deception of the American public.

Did McCain mean the war was justified because we won? Is winning ever a legitimate reason or result that pacifies our game-oriented mentality? We must resolve that military conflict will never again be used as a method of resoling international problems. Work for peace. Do not tire in this endeavor.